A Good Kick

Tonight was my first swim lesson!

I'm gearing up to do a triathlon this spring, and today was my first attempt at swimming. I found out tonight that I have a really great coach and that I really didn't know what I was doing before tonight. In only one lesson, I improved leaps and bounds...

By the end, I was the fastest of the slow group. Then, when the entire group raced with the kickboards, I won! I even beat all of the experienced swimmers and the boys. Wow! I haven't done that since elementary school when I would be the first one to turn in my math homework.

My favorite old friend from my 10-year high school reunion was Nate Kloock. Nate and I were never very close once we reached high school, but we had been in every single homeroom class together at Grace Abbott Elementary school from 2nd-6th grade. I would hope and pray every year that Nate would not be in my class, and every year Nate was in my class! Obviously, my opinion of him has changed as I've grown older and more mature....as he was definitely my favorite re-connection at our reunion!

When I laid eyes on him in Omaha that summer, we hugged and laughed and tried to tell stories about our childhood and explain where our lives had led us. The first (and my favorite) thing he said to me was, "I would always race to get my math homework turned in before you and you always beat me!"

I must have been good at it. That has me thinking.

Girls Behaving Badly

Girls Night...

My favorite comedian, Chelsea Handler, was performing at the Paramount Theatre last Saturday night. Six of my girlfriends and I ditched the boys and bought our tickets to the show.

She was H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S! If you ever get a chance to see her, my advice: GO!

"I once went out with a guy who told me that I didn't need to drink to make myself more fun to be around. I told him, 'I'm drinking so that you're more fun to be around.'" - Chelsea Handler

Snow Days!

A snow day is...quite possibly the best day in the world! I could almost feel the energy in the air when I opened my eyes on one of these mornings. My room always looked just a little brighter. I would turn on my clock radio and listen carefully as the radio announcer went through the list of schools that had closed.

I would wait patiently as all of the school districts were announced...

District 66
Papillion/La Vista
Creighton Prep
Marian
Omaha Public Schools

Finally (if I was lucky) I would hear it...Millard Public Schools!

Y-E-S!! The best feeling in the world!

Usually, I would get out of bed only long enough to tell my parents that I had heard the news, then I was quickly back in bed. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to sleep late!


When I did wake up, I found the streets filled with snow...ready for me to play. As a young girl, my brother and I liked to make snow angels in the back yard. Snow forts, snow ball fights. Even a snow man on a few occasions. Fresh snow just calls out to young children...you can never let it go untouched. At least a run through, leaving your footprints, was required.

As I grew older, my snow days were spent sledding. We lived at the top of a very steep hill. Not so great for driving up during ice, but super for sliding down! My brother and our friends would spend hours and hours sliding down and running up this hill. When I was in high school, I would usually venture to my friends' neighborhoods and take a shot at the steeper hills found there. You could count on a wipeout or two, snow stuck in your gloves (right around your wrists), and most times a friend or two who decides to tackle you and throw snow in your face. That kind of favor was always returned!

One thing I could always expect was being red-faced and exhausted by the end of the day. Usually a warm meal was waiting for me at home, and almost always a cup of hot chocolate.

A free day.
A fun day!
Even now...

Nothing beats a snow day!

It's Time

2006 in review...

• My first Marathon (Feb)
• My first Nebraska football game in Lincoln (Oct)
• My first business card (Feb)
  
• A new sister-in-law (Dec)
• A new home (Oct)
• A new boyfriend (Oct)
• A fun trip to Florida (Jul)
• A fun trip to Dallas for Texas/OU (Oct)
• A fun time on New Years Eve!

What I'm looking forward to in 2007?!

• AT&T half marathon
• MS 150 - Houston to Austin
  
• My first triathlon!
• Graduation (M.A. in Sport Management)!!
• Margarita Sundays
• Taking time for myself